To Find Hope
by FoxyPhantom
Summary: With a member of their team dead, and Kagome leaving, will the Inuyasha group survive or will it be split up?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: As much as I wish it, I do not own either Inuyasha or YuYu Hakusho

The death of someone from a group that has lived together, fought together, shared each other's pain, each other's joy, each other's heart break, the death of one who is so intertwined withing the group, that death can break them, or... or it can make them stronger, either way it's a turning point in their lives, and either way the guilt, survivor's guilt, hurts just the same.

"Kagome! Kagome! Inuyasha hit me!" Yelled Shippo as he jumped into the safety that was Kagomes arms.

"Sit boy!" The crash from Inuyashas fall could be heard for miles throughout the forest.

"Oie, wench, what did you do that for?" Inuyasha yelled from the ground.

Kagome would have replied to his remark except, "Inuyasha there's a jewel shard headed this way."

Luckily the spell had worn off by then and Inuyasha got up brandishing his sword, Sango prepared her boomerang, Killala transformed, Miroku readied his stance, while Shippo hid by Kagome; who was grabbing her bow and an arrow.

A figure stepped out of the trees, it was a high class demon with chin length black hair, his eyes were black and his skin was pale white, he wore a red and black kimono that looked like it was dripping with blood, he held daggers in his hands. "Hand over your jewel shards and perhaps I'll let you live."

"Over my dead body!" Yelled Inuyasha

"As you wish," replied the demon, and he attacked.

The demon was fast and threw daggers at the group, Inuyasha knocked the one thrown at him to the side and charged at the demon, but it seemed that the demon was just toying with Inuyasha for the demon easily evaded the attacks.

Seeing that Inuyasha was having trouble Sango and Kilala jumped into the fight, but even with them joining into the fight barely slowed down their opponent.

"Inuyasha, the shard is in his right wrist!" Kagome shouted from a distance with Shippo on her shoulder.

"Ah, so you are the one I'm after." With that said the demon threw many daggers at Kagome. Inuyasha, Sango, and Kilala were too far away to stop the daggers. Kagome screamed as Miroku leapt in front of her. His staff whirling Miroku knocked all the daggers aside. They didn't get a chance to breath a sigh of relief as more daggers flew at them. Miroku managed to knock most of them away but one ripped into his shoulder. With a cry he steadied himself against a tree.

Inuyasha, Sango, and Kilala tried to get to the monk but the demon held them off with his speed and daggers.

Kagome and Shippo rushed to Miroku's side. "Miroku are you all right?" They asked.

"I will be all right." He replied, but his voice was strained and he looked pale as he swayed slightly.

Shippo sniffed the air, "the daggers are poisoned!" He exclaimed.

"Hurry up Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted as she helped Miroku lay against a tree to get him more comfortable.

"Damn it woman I'm trying." Said Inuyasha as he used his 'Wind Scar', but the enemy easily evaded.

Seeing that her companions were not winning Kagome decided to help out and prepared her bow and arrow, taking careful aim and muttering under her breath "hit the mark" she fired. Distracted by Inuyasha and Kilala the demon almost didn't notice, but at the last moment moved out of the way, a scratch appeared on his otherwise perfect face. Enraged the demon leapt at Kagome throwing daggers as he neared her, uncaring of his surroundings. Which is why Sango's boomerang sliced him in half. Inuyasha leapt toward the demon, grabbing the jewel shard before it helped the demon regenerate.

A heartbroken scream pierced the air.


	2. Chapter 2

Previous chapter: -- A heartbroken scream pierced the air.

* * *

Inuyasha leapt towards the scream, "Kagome!"

"Kagome what's wrong? Are you all right?" Sango asked terrified.

Miroku was leaned against a tree pale, but breathing. Kagome was huddled in a ball sobbing, blood drenching her legs. When she looked up at them they saw that Shippo lay in her arms, and it was his blood that drenched her.

"He's dead!" She sobbed, "It should have been me, that dagger was for me, and he leapt in the way. I should have been stronger, faster..."

Not really knowing how to handle the heartbroken woman, and realizing how sick Miroku was Inuyasha suggested they head to Kaede's to heal Miroku and bury Shippo, which caused Kagome to cry harder, and cling to Shippo's body tightly. Sango helped Miroku onto Kilala, while Inuyasha picked Kagome up and held her in his arms. The group rushed to Kaede's.

* * *

At Kaede's it was a fight to get Kagome to let go of Shippo's body so that he could be buried under the Goshinboku. Holding onto Shippo's toy top as if her life depended on it, the group finally buried Shippo and waited for Miroku to heal. Days passed, and while the group was saddened by Shippo's death they seemed to be accepting it, except Kagome. Throughout the days she stayed in Kaede's hut, staring at a wall, barely eating and not responding to inquires. Sometimes she muttered under her breath, but it was either too low to hear or did not make sense.

Nothing seemed to get through to Kagome, so finally, on the 6th day, Inuyasha got fed up. He understood that she was hurt deeply by Shippo's death, he was too, but that didn't mean she should stop living. Storming into the hut he grabbed both Kagome and her bag, and proceeded to drag her all the way to the bone-eaters well. Sango, Kilala, and a healed Miroku curiously followed.

Unwilling to hurt her more that she already was Inuyasha took a deep breath before plowing ahead. "Kagome, go home, visit your family and come back to us when your felling better." The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement. When Kagome did not respond and only stared blankly ahead Inuyasha lost what little patience he had left. "Damnit Kagome get over it! You're letting Shippo's sacrifice wither away. We haven't gone shard hunting in days, you obviously aren't cut out for this, go home!"

The others may have said something but didn't as they realized Kagome was responding. "You're right, I'm not cut out for this." With that sadly said, she looked into everyone's eyes before turning and jumping into the well, still clutching Shippo's toy top in her hands.

Inuyasha, realizing he may have hurt her with his words, looked as if he wanted to go after her, but a hand on his arm stopped him. "Don't go, maybe her family can help her, but we might only make it worse." With those soft words said, Miroku and the rest left, Inuyasha leaving moments later.

* * *

(Kagome's Pov.)

Kagome was heartbroken and in torment, she should have been stronger, faster, better, and had no one to blame but herself. Never before had she realized what a burden she was to the rest of her group. Not only had Miroku been injured and could have died, but Shippo, her son in all but blood, had died to protect her, because she couldn't defend herself. Inuyasha had said she wasn't cut out for the feudal era, the others had not disagreed, and they were right. A team was only as strong as their weakest link, and everyone, even their enemies knew it was she. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Inuyasha was right, if she let Shippo's death be wasted away, what good would it do?

As Kagome sat in the well, clinging to Shippo's toy, she reached a decision, She would learn how to fight, but who would teach her? Before she would have asked the others, but they would treat her as if she was made of glass, and even if they didn't she wasn't sure how she felt about them now, Shippo's death didn't seem to affect them as much as it did her. Sango should have at least understood, Sango had lost her family and was doing her best to save Kohaku. How dare they go on as if Shippo's death didn't really affect them, Miroku still groped girls, Sango still got jealous when Miroku flirted and she still played with Kilala, and Inuyasha was just as rude and obnoxious as ever! Well, she didn't need them... Well, she wouldn't need them when she was trained, but who would teach her without the group finding out to drag her away to be protected. Although she wished she could ask Kouga, he would just take that as a sign that she wished to be his mate, but Kouga and Ayame were perfect for each other, and if she went there it would only cause problems.

"When do you think Kagome will be back mom?" Souta asked from outside the well house, "if she doesn't get back soon she might fall even more behind."

"Don't worry Souta, Kagome's a clever girl, I have faith in her." Kagome almost burst into tears at her mothers words. She was so lucky to have them, a mother to love and believe in her, a brother to help-OH! Brother! Why didn't she think of it before; Inuyasha's half-brother Sesshomaru. Not only was Sesshomaru no longer after the Tetsusaiga, but he also had Tensaiga: the sword that could bring people back from the dead. Maybe she could persuade him to train her, but also bring Shippo back to life. With that in mind she climbed out of the and headed towards her house, after all she had to prepare to set out on her new journey.


End file.
